No Day Without You
by Fire Kitten
Summary: They had to go inside the store. There was no choice. They had to. [Collective one-shots, Apocalyptic AU, includes all Strawhats and Sanuso]
1. The Store

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece

**Rating:** T

**Summary:** They had to go inside the store. There was no choice. They had to.

**Warnings:** Language, boyxboy, and potentially (?) disturbing scenes

* * *

"D-D-Do we really have t-to go in there?"

Sanji gave a cursory glance to his partner. Usopp's teeth were chattering and his body was shaking. Nothing really new there. It was the flush to his cheeks that concerned him. He reached out a hand, placing it on the younger male's shoulder in a gesture of consolation, even though he was looking for something else.

Feverish.

Great.

"Of course we have to fucking go in. We need water, bandages and medicine." And a miracle.

"I-I'm fine really." The tanner male stuttered, "No need to worry about the Great Usopp!"

Oh, now he really knew he was bad off. Usopp used to bitch and moan about paper cuts until Sanji would kiss the hurt away. Now he had a three-inch deep gash in his arm, poorly wrapped might he add, going cleanly from elbow to shoulder and he was acting like it was nothing?

"Shut up," Sanji said, the gun in his hand cocking as he turned to face the small but dark convenience store, sun burning orange behind them and casting their faces in shadow, "And get ready."

* * *

The moment they stepped inside, Sanji could tell it had obviously already been ransacked once – probably multiple times – before. Nothing out of the ordinary there, but he still cursed silently about it. He lifted his flashlight high, running the beam across the room in a slow arc like a camera. Electricity was long dead so there was no use trying to find the power switch.

"Looks clear." Sanji reported, though eyeing the tall shelves with apprehension. He knew better than to believe that because this place was so small, nothing would be inside. "I'll go look for water. You look for the bandages and shit."

"R-Right." Usopp said, keeping his voice low the two of them walking forward hesitantly, ears open for even the slightest noise. They split up in the center of the room, Sanji headed for the back of the room where the refreshments were and Usopp to the aisles. They walked slowly and no matter how much he tried to mask it, his steps still made a soft tap with each step. He never wished he could walk on air more than he did right then – and he used to get chased down by drag queens in college.

He came to the end of an aisle, sweeping his flashlight one way and then the other slowly. Nothing. He paused even still, but all he could hear was Usopp's own wanderings as he went through the aisles slowly, his own flashlight casting beams of light in the direction he must be walking. Taking this as a good sign, Sanji finally crossed the last two feet to the fridges and pulled open doors, holding his breath from the rancid smell as he thrust his light inside.

Empty. They were all empty.

"Son of a bitch." Sanji hissed under his breath, eyes roving around desperately for something, anything.

It was just as he spotted something orange at the very back of the fridge that there came a clatter, like something falling over. The blond froze, then called hesitantly, "Usopp…?"

"T-T-That wasn't me…"

Oh _fuck_.

Sanji spun around, pressing himself up against the shelves behind him, seeing Usopp's light dancing all through the air like the strobes at a rave, before he heard a warning cry, "The counter!" Just as the words left his partner's mouth, a dark shape sailed through the air, towards him. There was a sharp report of Usopp's gun going off, felling the foe. There wasn't even a pause between it all before he was yelling again, "There's more!"

Shit and double shit! Sanji almost tore away to join his partner in the fight, when his mind's eye suddenly again pictured that orange he had seen in the back of the fridge. Normally he would forgo most things, even his own cigarettes, during a battle but experience had taught him never pass up nourishment. They would die sooner of thirst then Infection and that was no way to go.

Sanji spun around, pointing his flashlight back into the fridge and scouring it wildly, the sounds of gunfire and Usopp panicked yells clawing at his soul. But damn it… just a minute… aha, there!

Sanji thrust his arm all the way to the back of the fourth shelf, chipped, dirty fingernails clawing for purchase, ignoring what was probably decades worth of grime clinging to his skin. His heart jumped when he finally grabbed it, feeling the sweet, wonderful edge of a cap to a bottle. And then he heard a horrible shriek and turned his head around.

Perched on the top of an aisle like a jaguar getting ready to spring was what used to be a young man, probably in his late teens or early 20s. Used to be, before Infection set in. Now his skin was grayish and peeling, revealing open wounds and black blood underneath. If he had to gather from the way he could actually see half of the kid's lower jaw as the flesh had disintegrated all the way to bone in that area, he was in the level three stage of the sickness – the most painful and madness inducing.

They stood like that for a total of four seconds, Sanji, half of his body inside the fridge and the boy, swaying mesmerizingly on the top of the shelves. And then Sanji's hand clenched around the bottle and the boy pounced. The cook yanked his arm back and twisted his body out the way, hearing a crash as the Infected collided with the metal racks and actually managed to break a few of them. "SHITHEAD!" Sanji snapped, raising his gun just as the boy let out an inhuman snarl and came towards him again. But by then Sanji was already shooting. It took five shots to finally get the Infected on the ground, leaving his breath reedy and his ears ringing so deafeningly the sound of Usopp frantically calling his name was almost unheard.

"SANJI, ANSWER ME PLEASE!"

The cook started, shaking away the relief that filled him every time he came out of a fight alive, shoving the bottle into his left pocket. He shouted back, "I'M FINE. LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" There was no other shooting going on, so he knew Usopp had taken care of the rest.

He took off for the only exit, the long-nosed male meeting him half way as they sprinted for the doors. Sanji gave him a once over, noting no new wounds just some random blood splatters and wide, terror-stricken eyes that only grew more so as he breathlessly warned, "The door!"

The blond looked forward seeing a sudden mob of Infected clamoring at the doors, knowing they must have been drawn from their nests from the commotion. "Shit!" Sanji snapped as he slid to a stop, grabbing the still-running Usopp by his overalls and, with no other options, pulled him inside a storage closet, before hastily shutting the door and putting them completely in darkness. He shoved himself up against the door as he flipped the lock, light filling the area after a moment as Usopp found his flashlight.

And then screamed as something jumped towards them. The flashlight fell, somehow didn't break, and light rolled around the room but hid nothing in such a tiny space. Sanji felt his heart jump – stupid, stupid! Of course there was one in here! – and he was pretty sure he saw his life flash before his eyes and-

**BANG!**

Blood and other things Sanji didn't like thinking about splattered the walls around them and Usopp shakily backed up against the furthest wall, before silently collapsing to his knees. After a moment, when the Infected didn't move, he lowered his gun too. Sanji's eyes rolled over the creature hesitantly as well, noting the bullet that went right through the head.

Shit.

Even sick, Usopp was still a better shot then him.

A sudden scratching behind him had him jumping away from the door and Usopp squeaking out a gasp. Sanji eyed the door warily, trying to be as quiet as possible as he fetched the flashlight and backed away until he was settled down beside Usopp. The man was shaking again but Sanji wasn't sure if it was from the aftereffects of adrenaline, fear or sickness; probably a combination of all three. What he was sure of was the dark male looked worse than he had before they went in.

"Did you manage to get any medicine?" Sanji asked, trying to keep his voice low as he set the flashlight down so it's beam of light shot up towards the ceiling, filling their area with enough to see by.

Dull brown eyes shot him a furtive glance, before giving a silent shake of his head.

"None at all!?" Sanji hissed angrily.

"I couldn't find any!" Usopp frantically explained.

"Didn't find any or didn't have time?"

"I don't know! Both I guess? _Will you just be quiet dumbass?!_"

"You're speaking louder than I am, shitty longnose!"

Usopp opened his mouth to retort when a loud sound, like a body slamming into the door, made his voice fade away into nothing but a frightened squawk, and he pressed his face against Sanji's shoulder, holding the other tightly. The blond wrapped a protective arm around the other, his other hand on his gun. There were some more loud slams and a few inhuman shrieks, each one causing Usopp to whimper quietly and Sanji's muscles to tense tighter and tighter. If they got in here now, it was all over…

Just when he thought the door couldn't take anymore though, the ruckus finally died down, and there was some scuttling outside that grew fainter and fainter and the two could finally breathe again. Usopp's head shifted to peer up at him, tear tracks down his face and Sanji silently cursed as guilt settled in his stomach. "Sorry, I'm just…" He mumbled softly.

The younger lifted his head, sniffling and wiping at his tears, "I know… F-Forget it. Did you get any water?"

He thought of the empty fridges and felt frustration well up in him again as he sighed out slowly, reaching into his pocket. "Not water but…" He lifted out the orange container in which Usopp squinted at, trying to read the faded label.

"Orange juice…? You know that's probably long expired, right Sanji?"

"Don't think we can afford being picky these days." He returned, unscrewing the cap before giving the drink an experimental sniff and then sip. It was bitter with a sour aftertaste and so, so hot and the orange flavor that was meant to be there tasted more like its peels instead.

It was the best damn thing Sanji had had in days.

They shared the small bottle, polishing it off in no time between them, and then it was time to get down to the real business. "This is the third store." Sanji said, almost conversationally.

Trying to get even one more measly drop out of the orange juice, Usopp finally sighed and lowered it, cradling it between his hands. "I know…"

"We had a deal."

The other pretended not to hear him, turning his head away and staring at the mop in the corner of the room.

The blond sighed. "You know we have to."

Fingers drummed along the plastic container.

"_Usopp!_"

"I know okay! Keep your voice down!" The black male whispered heatedly, "But… But do we have to do it here? Now?"

"You got a better time and place?" When no retort was forthcoming, Sanji nodded, reaching into his other pocket this time. "Come on then. We'll be in here until morning anyways."

"Knew we shouldn't have gone in the evening." Usopp complained, but was quietly pulling off the left buckle of his overalls. Normally he'd be wearing a shirt, but ever since he got that ugly wound it was impossible for him to lift his arm above his shoulder so he'd settled with wearing the cute farmer's getup.

Sanji set two things down on the ground – a knife and a lighter – before reaching for the flashlight, shoving it behind them so that the light was more directly on them, before reaching forward to take Usopp's arm. He started undoing the knot on the wrappings before starting to pull away the three-day old bandages made from a mangled skirt they had found. At the first circlet, Sanji already knew this was going to be hell when he had to carefully peel away the soiled fabric from the wound, the sound like tape being pulled off of a package and utterly sickening to his ears. The scabs where skin had tried to mend itself were torn away, causing blood to rivulet down but Sanji doggedly continued on until the last bit came away.

In full view it was horrible. The cut was as deep and raw to see as the day it had been inflected and there were little bubbles of pus clinging to the edges in clear signs of infection. It probably needed stitches and antibiotics but shit, Sanji wasn't a doctor he was a cook and all he knew was he never imagined he'd be using one of his knifes for this.

It wasn't a special knife really, just a measly little vegetable knife with a blade only a few inches long and a chipped handle; it was old and nothing like the precious multi-hundred dollar set he used to own. But he carried it everywhere with him ever since he was given it twelve years ago on the first day of his chef apprenticeship with Zeff. Usopp would call it his good-luck knife and even constructed a little sheath for the blade part because he worried Sanji would sit down on it one day and have it pierce his leg or worse. He always worried too much…

He pulled off the cover, picking up his lighter that he kept with him even if he hadn't had a smoke in months, and lifted the knife above the output. There was a click and a spark and then flames licked at the razor edge of the silver blade, the blond slowly guiding it from tip to base.

"This is gonna hurt like hell, huh?" Usopp mumbled, trying to get comfortable against the wall.

"Sure ain't gonna shit'en tickle." He retorted, pocketing his lighter. "You ready?"

The other smiled weakly, before he reached up, pulling off his bandanna, his dark hair settling along his head before he bundled it up in a tight ball. "Ready." The action made Sanji want to kick a bunch of Infected until their heads were lobbed off.

He only nodded, sliding his hand up under Usopp's upper arm, knife level with one of the pockets of infection, gritting his teeth as he slowly started to cut, fingers pushing at the edge of it at same time to push the fluid out until it came out bloody and clean. The process was excruciating for both of them. There were a few times he cut a little deeper than intended from Usopp reflexively trying to jerk away and at one point, as he was slicing into one of the biggest areas, the gunner almost passed out. But the worst of it was Usopp, biting down on his own bandanna to muffle his screaming while tears filled his eyes, that almost had Sanji's resolve break and choose instead to just hold the other and whisper idiotic things like how it would just get better if they prayed and he'd never do this again.

But, sure enough, he knew he _would_ be doing this again in a few more days. If Usopp made it that long.

By the time he was finished, blood was all over the floor and they were both exhausted. Usopp fell against the wall in weary relief, lids falling half-mast over his eyes while Sanji wrapped up the horrid injury, thinking that if it ever did heal it was going to scar terribly. Once done, they moved to another part of the room, one that wasn't covered in the dead Infected's or the marksman's blood, and the blond pulled off his tattered coat, throwing it over his partner's shoulders. He wasn't shivering quite like he had been but Sanji had a sneaking suspicion this was due more from weakness then lack of being cold. He stretched out his legs, tugging the other gently until he was laid out on the floor, head in his lap, soothingly running his hand over tangled curls.

"Sanji…?" Usopp mumbled drowsily from somewhere in the general vicinity of his left thigh.

"Mmm?" His ring finger got caught in a knot and Usopp winced a little when the hairs pulled. "Ah, sorry."

"Forget about it. Anyways, did I ever tell you about time I took down fifty Infected all by myself… with just ten bullets?"

Sanji chuckled softly. "Funny, I don't seem to recall this phenomenon happening."

"Oh you were…" The younger shifted some, legs bending into a more comfortable position, "Sleeping! Yeah, sleeping. In fact, you were having such nice dreams that I wasn't about to let anyone interrupt them."

"Oh? And what was I dreaming about?"

"Why, me of course." Usopp said with a big grin.

Sanji laughed, the noise near-soundless but the amusement clear in his voice as he responded, "Of course. Can't go one day without seeing this long nose." He flicked the end of said body part for emphasis.

The younger male pouted. "But you love my nose, right?"

Sanji made a show of thinking about this. "Well now…"

"Sanji!" Not wanting to give up the warmth gathered under the blond's coat, Usopp used his nose to poke him somewhere just under the ribs.

"What would I ever do without it?"

"And," Usopp turned his head some, brown eyes looking up at him imploringly. "You love me right?"

This time he didn't pause. "Couldn't go a day without you." He'd said these exact same words almost a thousand times, but these days, they never rang truer.

Usopp smiled, seemingly satisfied as he snuggled up into his stomach, Sanji already knowing what he'd say before he said it. "Good, because you'll have to put me up with me for some time yet."

He could only hope. "You know what, I think I'm okay with that." He brushed his fingers along Usopp's cheek, trying to control the sudden wave of emotion within him, that had him just wanting to curl up around his feverish partner and never let go. "Get some sleep, Uso-chan."

* * *

Sanji awoke with a start to the noise of a distant boom, the sound wave enough to make the building tremble. The hell…?

He turned on the flashlight. "Usopp… Usopp, wake up!" Sanji hissed urgently, shaking the other male's shoulder, unease settling within him at how long it took to rouse his normally jumpy partner.

"Huh? What?" The male said as he finally came awake but from the heat under his fingers and the unfocused look, Sanji had to bite back a curse as he realized his temperature must have spiked sometime during the night. Usopp struggled to get up, his limbs trembling from the effort. "What's happening?"

"I don't know, but something's going down outside." Sanji said, hands placed under Usopp's shoulder blades for support as he guided the other up. "We've got to get ready."

The black-haired male nodded, reaching for his gun. Hand shook so much he dropped it. Sanji pretended not to see as he lifted his own gun towards the door. He heard some of the Infected were still intelligent; that they could gather a small caravan together to bring down buildings if they had too, all to reach prey.

"Sanji… I-"

Like last night, he could predict exactly what the other was about to say. "Be quiet Usopp."

"But San-"

"Just be _quiet_!" _You're not going to die, damn it! I won't let you die!_

Nothing more could be said when there was a sudden slam on the door like there had been last night. The room's occupants' tensed up, realizing that if they got attacked in here, cornered in this enclosed, small space it might really be the end of them this tim-

"Oi, Zoro, what's in there?"

The gun in Usopp's hand fell on the ground again, weeping with sudden relief. Sanji could almost do the same as he heard a gruff voice of this 'Zoro' guy answering the boyish call of whoever else was out there. "Huh? Didn't Nami say to go here?"

"How could you confuse the back of the room for that cluttered mess over there?!" Oh, and a sweet maiden was with them!

Wait a moment, cluttered? Had they been barricaded in?

"S-Sanji…" Usopp sobbed, holding onto him and it was enough for him to remember his voice.

He cleared his dry throat as he yelled, "O-Oi! We're in here!"

There was a stretch of silence and then the first voice spoke up again, "Zoro, I think the door is talking to you."

"Idiot! Obviously there's someone inside." The other male snapped.

"Oh… Well let's get them out and bring them with us."

"Alright. Stand back."

"Hold on a second!" The heavenly Nami spoke again, her voice suddenly much closer as she halted whatever Zoro was about to do. Her mistrustfulness made her even more wonderful. "Luffy, we can't have you just bringing along every single person we come across! Seven is already a lot to handle!"

Seven? Sanji couldn't believe it. He'd never even heard of a group that big before.

The fiery tempered female spoke to them now. "How many of you are in there?"

"Two of us." Sanji reported, swallowing nervously. Their lives depended on him answering these questions right.

"Any Infected in there?"

"One."

"Dead?"

"Yes."

"Food?"

"MEAT?" That youthful voice cut in.

"Luffy, not now! And keep watch why don't you?!" The wonderful Nami barked before addressing them again. "Food?"

"N-None…" Sanji was feeling a little confused. What was going on?

"Any water?"

"No."

"When's the last time you guys had anything to eat or drink?"

He knew those answers all too well. "We had some orange juice yesterday and we ate some canned soup about four days ago."

"Got any weapons?"

"Yes."

"What kind?"

"Two guns." There was an exasperated sigh to that response.

"Obviously. What _kind_ of guns?"

"Uuhhh…" Sanji stared down at his firearm, completely at a loss. There were kinds?

Luckily, Usopp straightened and took over, "One's a semi-automatic pistol, .45 Skypeia model. The other's a .32 eight-shot Alabasta revolver." He murmured an aside softly to him, "That one's yours." He spoke up again, "We have a North Blue vegetable kitchen knife too."

"And how much ammo do you guys have?"

That Sanji also didn't know but Usopp didn't break to even calculate it. "Forty-four shots for the pistol, sixty-three for the revolver." There was break in the interrogation outside, some muffled words being shared. Sanji and Usopp shared a smile, the latter leaning up against him once more.

And then suddenly Zoro spoke up. "You're injured." It wasn't even a question.

The body against his tensed up, Usopp glancing at him in alarm and it was at the moment they understood. Their faceless rescuers were trying to gauge how worth saving them they were. "I-It's nothing really just a scrat-"

"Tch, don't start lying now. Your voice is strained. How bad?"

When his partner didn't seem willing to answer, Sanji spoke up, "It's about five days old. It's a huge gash, probably needs stitches and antibiotics. He's running a fever too."

"Any Infection in it?" Nami sounded extremely cautious now – as anyone would.

"Not… not that we know of." Sanji said, almost desperately now. The questioning died again, so abruptly Sanji almost feared they had just left them there without a word.

"What can you guys do?" It was Luffy who spoke up this time and Sanji could almost picture a wide grin on that unknown face.

"Well… I was a chef."

"Ooooh so you can cook meat?!"

Could he cook meat? Was that a joke? "Well I-" Sanji started, only to pause when a hand fell over his.

Usopp gave him a confident grin and a wink, before saying in a loud, boisterous voice, "Can he cook meat? Ha! Any kind. Tenderloin, lamb chops, venison, turkey breast, chicken drumsticks, ham – you name it, he can make it! But that's not what makes him a great chef. It's not the taste either – which I promise is so delectable you'll never find any dish that even compares! But no, that's not what makes him a great chef." Usopp's fingers squeezed his and Sanji could almost imagine the other was suddenly reciting poetry to him with the way he was speaking so adoringly. "Sanji knows how to use every bit of any ingredient he's given. The peels of any fruit or vegetable, every bit of any animal meat from nose to toe, even fish bones! Yes, I said fish bones – and that may sound impossible but trust me I've had it and it's delicious. He's the best chef you'll ever meet – probably the world's greatest."

"Uso-chan…" Sanji mumbled and it felt stupid being so stunned by, well, what was generally the truth. But maybe it was just because Usopp was saying it.

"R-Really?" Luffy sounded like he was drooling. "Sanji, you can really do all that?"

With an insistent nudge, Sanji answered, trying to copy his partner's confidence, "Of course I can. As long as I have ingredients, I can make anything." Usopp gave him a thumbs up but Sanji wasn't about to let him just get away with that. If they were even thinking about taking one of them, they were taking both. "But Usopp here can shoot. He used to be a sniper before everything went to hell." The gunner blinked in surprise. "He's never used more than one shot on any of these Infected shitheads and he can pick them off almost a half-mile away. Hell, even sick like he is, he still hasn't missed a shot and almost all those ones out there are his. If you need anyone, it's him." He pressed his lips against a sweaty forehead, the marksman smiling shakily at the tender kiss.

They heard a strange clapping outside but it sounded less like hands and more like a dancing of feet. "Really? You guys are incredible! But…" The noise died down and at that word, that single word that could hold so much devastation in it, abruptly Sanji felt his heart falling into his stomach to start burning away. "Would you leave the other behind if we could only take one of you?"

"W-What?" Usopp sounded as dumbfounded as Sanji felt. That question could mean so many things. Was that the kind of group these people were? Abandon their comrades at the soonest sign of necessity? They looked at each other and Sanji wondered if they could lie about this. He knew, the moment the _king _of liars spoke, that it was impossible. "I couldn't ever abandon Sanji."

"I could… if I was the one being left behind." Sanji countered.

Usopp's eyes widened, glittering wetly in the flashlight's beam. "S-Sanji!"

"Shishishishishi, I like you guys!" What a strange laugh. "Zoro get them out of there! They're coming along to be our nakama!"

"Aye, Captain."

"Luffy – wait a second. We haven't discussed all of this yet. We still…" Nami's voice faded away, the two of them probably walking away and anything else was quickly masked by the loud sounds of heavy items being moved.

For the first time in a long time, Sanji felt something akin to hope as he wrapped an arm around Usopp as they waited to see the sunlight.

* * *

I wrote this after watching Daybreakers – which is really funny considering that movie is kind of about vampires and this story is more like a zombie apocalypse so don't ask me what got the inspiration rolling.

I left a lot of things blank in this fanfic – like where did Usopp get the wound? I was going to write this in, but I couldn't come up with anything satisfactory and decided to just omit it. The purpose is he has it, it's making him sick and Sanji desperately wants to save him. I also omitted most of the stuff about the Infection – like what the virus really is, what they looked like, how it started etc. etc. I could have added all that but I felt it would uselessly complicate the plot too much for just a one-shot. Maybe if I make a sequel I might expand on the idea, but overall I really just wanted to have fun with Sanuso.

And hurt Usopp some because I'm a sadistic bitch like that xD

ANYWAYS, hope you guys enjoyed!


	2. The Dream

**Disclaimer:** I do not own One Piece

**Rating:** T

**Warnings:** Language, boyxboy, and potentially (?) disturbing scenes

_Why am I continuing this? Really?_

* * *

Sanji was cooking.

Usopp could tell the moment he rolled out of bed. The tantalizing scents of hazelnut, chocolate and maybe just a hint of vanilla were wafting down the halls, lifting him up and to his feet, giving him gentle pushes so he would head out down the hall and to the kitchen. But he had to fight it; Sanji would give him the cold shoulder if he came out in his rumpled PJs and morning breath. So off to the bathroom he went to make himself semi-presentable. He cheated, as he often did. Used mouthwash instead of full on teeth brushing, used a hair tie to hold back his tangled hair, put on a clean shirt – one of Sanji's that was long and mostly hide his comfortable PJ bottoms. No point in getting perfectly ready since he would just need a shower later. He could finish his routine then.

Now looking a little less like the terrible thing they found last year under the couch while spring cleaning, Usopp excitedly hurried down the hall, hearing a soft murmuring coming from the kitchen. It was kind of a funny little quirk (though since he had a funny little nose, he really had nothing to say on such matters). Sanji was like a genius cook really; he'd be making one thing, not a flaw to the meal, but in truth wasn't even paying a bit of attention to it as instead he was mumbling out ingredients and preparation steps for other dishes he wanted to make, somehow keeping it all in his head until he could write it down on a recipe card later. Hell, they had so many recipes Usopp swore they could fill an entire encyclopedia set.

He poked his head around the corner just as he was musing about whether such a thing would make a good Christmas gift or not. For a moment he just stood there, watching Sanji cook and talk softly to himself, the more creative side of himself wishing for a pen and sketchpad to catch it on paper. The blonde was something else when he cooked: Eyes intent and moves fluid, a content smile on his face usually or a frown of concentration when he was having particular trouble with finding a good taste combination for his newest dish. So beautiful…

And then from the corner of his eye he saw a little white movement and saw Merry walk right up to him, sit down, stare up at him petulantly as if to say 'Why haven't you fed me yet?' before opening her mouth and giving a big, loud, "MEROW!"

Sanji chuckled, not even needing to turn around because they both knew Merry only meowed at him and only bothered him when he was eating and only was a complete and utter snuggle-kitty with him. "Good morning Uso-chan."

The younger scratched his hand over the two little marks on Merry's head, the only color on her besides white, which was her name sake. They were like two brown stripes, perfectly symmetrical, that started at about her forehead and curled back behind either ear in a little spiral, like goat horns. So, he named her Merry, after the goat his childhood friend Kaya used to own. The cat purred contently, tail flickering before curling around her feet only to complain again when he stopped. "Oh you'll live." Usopp chastised the attention-needy animal (who Sanji swore was trying to replace him), before walking up behind the working chef, curling his arms around the other's waist and placing his chin on his shoulder. "Good morning." He finally replied, kissing softly at Sanji's neck.

"You know I'm trying to cook your breakfast right?" Sanji complained, his movements somewhat inhibited by the close contact.

Usopp brushed his lips on the other's sharp jawline, "Well, give me my good morning kiss and I'll let you."

Blue eyes rolled to the heavens. "You act more deprived than Merry!" But he obliged, turning his head and pressing their lips together. It was chaste but warm and while it didn't fill him with that jolting zing it used to when they shared their first few kisses years ago it was still something – maybe a better sort of something altogether. Like a contentment knowing he had something really great.

They pulled apart with a soft smack and Usopp smiled, "Mmmm. That was so nice, I think I want seconds."

"Don't use food analogies on me. Only the expert chef in the house has that right, you shitty appetizer." Sanji scolded, giving him a little bite on the tip of his nose.

"Stingy." Usopp whined without really meaning anything by it as he let the blond go. Merry chose that moment to give another loud wail, flopping down on her back as if she were just dying of hunger and had no energy left. Until of course Usopp walked by towards her food bowl, then she was bounding after him faster than the speed of light and her food was gone even faster than that (if there was such a thing). After that, he got her vitamins and treats and she gobbled those up as well.

By the time he was done with these exceedingly simple tasks Sanji was already setting breakfast on the table, complete with his morning cup of coffee that sometimes he swore got him through the day, mixed with just a hint of chocolate and a spoonful of sugar. And as he looked down at it, he could see where the hazelnut and vanilla smell was coming from. "Spoiling me today?"

"It's more nutritious then you think."

"It's chocolate and vanilla icing on French toast." Usopp grinned.

"With bananas and strawberries, everything hand made with one-third the sugar of anything store bought." Sanji nodded as if that were that.

Usopp had to say, Sanji did make a kickass hazelnut chocolate but still, "Chocolate. Icing. Did you make me dessert?"

"Oh that's it; you're getting an all-mushroom dinner."

"Nooo!" Usopp cried, throwing himself on Sanji's mercy, "I love it. I love you. Don't do that to me!"

"Then stop whining and eat, shitty long nose."

The younger was quick to cut into the toast, taking that first tentative bite and practically melted as he did with anything Sanji made. It had to be a crime, to be that talented. "But," He said between bites, "You love my long nose, right?"

The cook shook his head, but smiled behind his glass. Despite them probably having this same conversation a million times, it never got old. "Don't know what I'd do without it."

"And, you love me right?" The second question followed, as always.

As did the answer, "Couldn't go a day without you."

And then Usopp kissed him and it tasted like chocolate and strawberry and it was decidedly sticky but neither of them really cared. "Good," He mumbled licking the other's lips, "Because you'll have to put up with me for some time yet."

In response, Sanji balanced a banana slice on his abnormal nose. "I think I'm okay with that."

And then the slice fell off, hitting the table with a thunderous boom.

* * *

Usopp jerked out of his dream at a loud bang, heart jumping into his throat and hand automatically reaching for his gun. Panic seized him a moment later when he realized it wasn't there. Shit. Were they under attack? How was he supposed to protect Sanji if –

_Sanji!_

He looked around, limbs trembling in fright as he didn't recognize the room he was in. It wasn't anything special, just a small space with a little white desk, some books, walls of wood that was like some sad bare canvas since they hadn't been painted over and one lonely not exactly comfortable bed of which he was on.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his heart. _Okay Usopp, assess the situation. You're in an unfamiliar place, with unfamiliar noises, without your gun and without Sanji. On a scale of one to ten, how fucked are you? _

He yelped softly, covering his mouth with his hands a moment later when another bang rattled from the next room.

_Ten thousand, ten-thousand!_

This was it then. This was how it was all going to end? After everything he'd been through it seemed a little anti-climactic. Where was the drama? Where was the hero (Usopp of course) sacrificing himself for the helpless princess (Sanji) and with his final breath declares his undying love as 'she' escapes. That was how these stories were supposed to end! Not in some tiny room in who-the-hell-knows where in which a man couldn't even die with even one shred of dignity while he's torn to pieces by the rabid, Infected population that was once known as mankind. It was just indecent! Disgraceful! Lu-

"LUFFY!"

Luffy? What the hell was a Luffy?

Wait, was that…

"If I see you sneak another piece off the ladies' plates, I'm going to kick you through the door!"

"But Sanjiiiii I'm hungry!"

_S-Sanji…_ Usopp bit his lip, feeling his eyes water. The bickering outside continued but as he got out of bed, having trouble at first because despite the floor definitely being flat it felt uneven, all he could hear was Sanji's voice clearly. The rest were all garbled as if he turned a radio dial in his car and they weren't coming through clearly. His hand reached for the door, shaky fingers curling over the knob.

"THEN EAT YOUR FOOD SHITHEAD!"

The hinges squeaked as he pulled open the door, definitely needing to be oiled, and it wasn't a better way to silence the room. Eight heads suddenly swiveled about to look at him all at once and it was a good thing Usopp had never been cursed with stage fright before or he might have been shaking in his… socks. Huh, he wondered where his boots were.

Four at the table he had never seen before at all – an elder, dark-skinned male like himself with an afro, a top hat balancing precariously atop it; a buff looking guy who looked like he used to play linebacker for football with blue hair styled so up he had to wonder how much product he used; a tanned woman with straight black hair and calm blue eyes who regarded him coolly from above the pages of a book she must have been reading; and a smaller male – easily the youngest in the entire room – who had curly brown hair and looked like he was trying to hide behind the tough, green-haired man who Usopp vaguely remembered as Zoro or, as he had nicknamed him, the 'Guy with Scary Demon Eyes'. Then there was Nami, who he mostly recalled to having quite a temper when it came to the shortcomings of her friends and some ridiculous ideal about storing money 'when things went back to normal'. Luffy was easiest of the unfamiliar people to recall though – just that childish grin on his face and that strange straw hat was enough to send his mind reeling with all sorts of vague memories. Like a funny little laugh as they were declared friends or a chipper song about stupid islands as they trudged through the hedges towards the river.

"Usopp!" And then of course, there was Sanji who he wouldn't forget even if he had amnesia. The blond practically bound over the table to get to his side, fretting over him while trying not to look like he was since in the company of other men the blonde still defaulted to his 'I only care about a woman's wellbeing' attitude. It was just something Usopp got used to – as long as _he_ got to be the only one cuddled in Sanji's arms at night.

"How are you feeling?" His partner asked, placing a hand casually on his arm as he had been doing for days now and as nonchalant as it was, Usopp wasn't fooled for a second.

He smiled faintly and then replied, "A little confused, really."

"Well that's no surprise! You had a high-grade fever and were badly dehydrated!" A chastising voice broke in and Usopp saw the shy brunette edging towards him with caution, as if he was scared of getting close to him. Of course when people were suddenly turning around and attacking you mid-conversation, he couldn't blame the kid. "It's… almost amazing you're still even alive! In fact, I need to look you over again anyways!"

Usopp scratched the side of his nose sheepishly, "Umm, sorry, errr…?"

"Oh, Usopp, this is Chopper. He's a doctor. He took care of you." Sanji introduced before whispering to him surreptitiously, "He really likes compliments."

"Eeeh?" The long-nosed man exclaimed, "You're a doctor? No way! You're younger than me!" He lent forward some, saying, "You must be some kind of genius, huh Dr. Chopper?"

The doctor blushed to his ear tips, starting to actually dance in place, "S-Shut up! Complimenting me won't make me happy you bastard!"

He chuckled sharing a glance with the chef, saying, "He looks pretty happy to me."

Sanji laughed before saying, "You're hungry right? Let me make you a plate."

Oh god, _food_. Usopp swallowed back the instant saliva that seemed to collect in his mouth, glancing at Chopper and unable to help teasing him again, "That depends on what my doctor says. What do you say Doc, am I well enough to eat before my exam?"

The younger started dancing again, pulling the edges of his pink hat down some, "U-Uuum, yeah. That'll be fine." And then, in a surprisingly stern voice, he added, "But right after you're to get back into bed before you over-exert yourself and faint again!"

"Aye, aye sir!" Usopp saluted, taking a few steps towards the table before pausing thoughtfully, "Wait a second, I fainted?"

"Yeah!" It was Luffy who spoke up now, some of his words garbled because even as he spoke he was still stuffing his face, "You fell right on the deck! It was cool!"

"Except when you were running around, screaming how your cool long-nosed friend just died." Nami said with an exasperated sigh.

_Cool?_ Usopp almost felt an urge to do a Chopper-dance as he plopped down in the only empty space left at the table, between the big football player and scary Zoro. He had to resist the urge to roll his eyes when he noted Sanji and his half-finished plate was right in the middle of the two girls.

He was introduced to the rest of the 'crew'. Franky was the man to his left and was a builder of sorts – which made Usopp get sort of excited because he used to make stuff all the time before his job consumed all of his free time. The blue-haired constructionist was the one to design some sort of water filtrating system; it brought up clean water from the river that was then to be boiled of Infection and other microscopic diseases in the kitchen.

Robin was the book reader. She was pretty quiet all things considered, seeming to just prefer watching others around her, but she was pretty darn smart too or that was what Usopp gathered from what Luffy spewed out between ravenous bites before Nami kindly took over. She was a historian in fact, which came more in handy then the sniper would have expected. She knew where old warehouses or bomb shelters were that might have unspoiled food, water or ammunition and was even good at telling just how recently a town had been hit by Infection. Usopp never realized how much one could read just by studying the land and the buildings.

And there was Brook. He was, well, maybe driven a little crazy by the whole mess the world had turned into since he had some strange notion that he was dead like everyone else in the world seemed to be. To the point he was making jokes about it. Despite this short-coming though, the somewhat elderly male was a musician who was, according to the others, rather talented with his violin.

He learned little tidbits about the others too. Nami was a navigator – which was extremely useful both on land and on water (it was about at this point, Usopp also learned he was on a boat. For someone who had always admired the sea, the idea was fanatically amazing to him, but he managed not to run outside to take in the view). Chopper was actually barely a doctor because he had only been a month into his internship at a hospital named Blessed Sakura before the plague hit, yet he was doing his best to figure this disease out with what knowledge he did hold. Zoro had been a wanderer even during normal times, never really having a home as he explored the world; so he knew how to live off the land. Those skills came in handy for the others. And then Luffy was actually the owner of this ship which he dubbed the Thousand Sunny; he used to be a fisherman and when things got bad, he had escaped to the water, picking up the others – these six (now eight) strangers who had become his friends – along the way.

"So, how did you get hurt anyways?" Luffy turned the discussion, leaning back in his chair and patting his belly satisfied. Well, mostly. Usopp almost had an urge to guard his plate from the way those dark eyes were leering at his pancakes. He was the only one still eating after all.

"Oh this? Well," Usopp felt a little bit of excitement well up into him, not often being allowed to boast these days since Sanji always saw through his every word (even if he still tried), "It was really heroic actually! You see, there we were escaping the clutches of the Infected and I-"

"He fell down some stairs."

Usopp's forehead almost hit the table as there was sudden laughter around the table. "SANJI! That didn't sound cool at all!"

A soft chuckle came from the kitchen area, "Sorry, but if I let you go on with your story, you'd spend all your time exaggerating these tales about yourself instead of eating and then Luffy'd steal your plate."

"S-Shut up!" Usopp blushed, "You could of at least made me sound less pathetic! I didn't just fall down the stairs." He puffed out his cheeks in a bit of a pout.

There was another snicker, a warm hand sending jolts through him as it rested on his shoulder Sanji leaning over him, "Well, you'll forgive me." Forgive him? Yeah, right! Maybe if he wore a dress to look even more pathetic than Usopp felt right now. "I made you coffee."

Whoa, wait a second. Pause and rewind. Did he say – "C-Coffee?!"

"Mmm-hmmm." The cup was set down before him, the liquid a soft brown, little wafts of steam dancing across the top. "Just the way you like it."

Just the way he – "Okay, deal." Usopp decided right then as he wrapped his fingers around the divine brew. Luffy could have his breakfast if he got to keep this. "You're forgiven." _And I love you._

"Of course you do." Sanji said triumphantly, pulling away but not before giving him the quickest and lightest of kisses right on the corner of his ear. _I love you too_. "And how about you Robin-Chwan? Would you like another cup?"

"Ah, that would be lovely Cook-san."

Usopp was so caught up with his caffeine ecstasy, he didn't even bother to feel indignant about the fact his partner had already given pet names to the girls. He took the first sip and almost felt like he could fly to the moon. It had been so long… he could almost shut his eyes and pretend he was just waking up to a normal morning at home. Merry would be coming soon to meow at his feet and, if he ignored her long enough, would eventually just jump into his lap and paw at his fork until something fell onto the floor. Sanji would be across from him, talking about supper or the diner or just something completely random while he had his breakfast smoke. And Usopp would jabber away about even more random things while he enjoyed the meal made for him, never feeling more at home than he did with Sanji. And then there was that thought again – that maybe, just maybe he needed to find a new profession that didn't suck up all his time and-

"Oi, then what really happened Usopp?"

Usopp blinked open his eyes, the daydream shattering abruptly from the bouncy Luffy's inquiry. Where did he get all that energy anyways? "Oh uh… we were being chased down the stairs by a small mob of Infected in this multi-story complex we had slept the night at. When I was almost at the bottom of one of the flights I tripped over some tools left on one of the steps. The railing was broken and I ran right into it and it sliced me pretty good. We were so busy shooting at them and the ones that seemed to jump out in front of us I didn't even notice it until we weren't being chased anymore." He drummed his fingers nervously along the edge of the cup, decidedly not mentioning all his panicked crying and Sanji slapping him to shut him up while he pressed his shirt against his arm even as the red soaked right through.

"Wooow! You guys are so cool!" Chopper was practically gushing. He was practically as childlike as Luffy.

The chef shook his head and sighed. "A few days later while hunting for antiseptic and stuff, we had to escape quickly and lost most of our supplies and then we got trapped in that room and… well you guys came just in time."

"Yeah, we really owe you guys." The long-nose agreed. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he was still starving and went back to his breakfast quite ravenously, saying in-between bites, "We'll have to pay you guys back somehow." The minute he mentioned 'pay' Nami's eyes lit up but he tried to ignore that.

"Aaaah, now I see why you can understand Luffy-san so well, Sanji-san. Though I don't have eyes to see with, yohoho!"

Pausing, Usopp huffed in Brook's general direction, before deciding he didn't care enough to reply when Sanji retorted with, "It's not like I had a choice. After seven years and only seeing his table manners get from inconsiderate slob to unintelligible oaf, I had to manage somehow." He had something to say to _that_, but it was the shocked ripple that ran through the others that held his tongue.

"Wait, what? _Seven_ years?" Nami exclaimed. "You mean you two knew each other before the plague?"

The cook paused in his clearing of the table and the sniper looked up, both of them sharing a glance before hesitantly nodding. Was that… bad? Robin seemed to be amused though, as she gently explained, "Excuse us. It is just we have not met anyone who has known each other from before. Everyone seems to have lost everyone from their past. It is really rather remarkable to have found a pair who still has theirs."

Now that he thought about it, neither had he and Sanji met anyone like that either. But he never really thought about it as remarkable really. More like damn lucky. And that luck had been about to run out too. He swallowed, twisting his fork in his hand and not knowing what to say. It wasn't like they hadn't lost people too. Their friends, his parents, Sanji's adopted father, Merry… but just having Sanji was more than all these people at the table had. Would they be resentful?

"That's so AMAZING!" Luffy suddenly shouted, almost making Usopp jump at the unexpected outburst but it was quick to calm some of the tension inside of him. "You guys are like supermen!"

Especially when Chopper joined in with a near-adorable, "And I got to save one of them! That makes me a part of it!" Usopp felt like he could hug him; if anyone were heroes, it was probably these guys.

"Brook, you should make them songs like all other super guys have!"

The elderly male nodded, already tuning his violin, "I'll compose something so amazing it'll make our ears fall off!" A pause then the predictable, "Though I don't have any ears to lose, yohoho!"

"What a SUUUUPER pair you bros make!" Usopp was clapped on the back a little roughly by the walking blue-haired Hulk.

"So, you guys have to have a bank account right?" Nami was eyeing Sanji with a too-sweet smile, "Since we so kindly offered our services to you both, you'll have same savings to lend me right?"

"Of course, Nami-swan! You can have it all!"

"OI!" Usopp cried in unheard disagreement, noting Robin was quietly chortling away.

Besides him, Zoro snorted. "I can understand Usopp but a weak pansy like this shit cook managed to make it through the plague too?"

"Eeeeh?" Sanji growled menacingly, "What was that Marimo?"

He was beginning to wonder just how long he was out of it since Sanji had already seemingly given nicknames to everyone.

"YOSH!" Luffy cut into the pending argument as he threw up his hands, inspired, "Usopp, Sanji don't worry, because now you're one of us! We won't lose anyone! Not a single one of us until all this is over! No matter how long it takes we'll protect each other because we're Nakama!" The others started to cheer, stirred by Luffy's confidence.

Usopp felt his heart fill with joy, never having thought he'd find a place like this – a little paradise in hell. As he watched this random collection of people banter and carry on, even Sanji and himself who somehow fit into this picture, he had to think that they were all incredible. All of them had made it this far whether it was by chance or skill and now here they all were, together and trying to survive when the world had ended all around them. And it was the first time in a long time he felt like it could actually be done.

He grinned as the atmosphere felt comfortable and welcoming, taking another sip of his coffee and started to think maybe he had found another home after all.


End file.
